Fire-extinguisher.



W. GRIMSHAW.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPLICATION HLED NOV. 20, 1917.

1,268,454 Patented June 4,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- W. GRIMSHAW.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, I917.

1.,268AM, Patented June 4,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J I f I WILLIAM GRIMSHAW, OF GLENELLYN, ILLINOIS.

' FIRE-EXTIN'GUISHER.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

' Patented June 4, 1918.

Application filed November 20, 1917. Serial No. 202,912.

l Toall whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, WILLIAM GRIMSHAW, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glenellyn, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers and relates particularly to fusible members designed and adapted for use in automatic sprinklers and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a fusible member for this purpose which shall combine the featuresof simplicity and relative cheapness of construction, requisite strength and reliability and uniformity of operation in use. To this end, a fusible member of my invention comprises the various features, combinations of features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which my invention is fully illustrated,

Figure 1 is a side view, several times enlarged, of a fusible member of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a-bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof from the position 4- 1 of Fig. 1.

1 Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views thereof on the lines 55 and 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views substantially simi lar to Figs. 1 and 3, respectively, illustrating a modification of my improved fusible member. i

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 7 v

Fig. 10 is a side view substantially similar to Fig.- 1, illustrating still another modification of my improved fusible member.

Fig. 11 .is 'an end view thereof from the position 11-11of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the connected ends of thetoggle arms, on the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

My improved fusible member is what may be described as of the toggle type, comprising toggle members respectively designated,

as a whole, A, A comprising strut portions 1 and 2, respectively,the remote ends of which are provided with bearingsadapted to engage corresponding bearings on the parts of the sprinkler between which said strut members 1 and 2 are adapted robe m serted in use, to-wit, the cap 3 which closes the discharge nozzle of the sprinkler, shown at 4, and theadjustingscrew 5 threaded through the boss 6. The adjacent ends of the strut portions of said toggle members are articulated by means of a suitable joint consisting, as shown, of a V-edge 7 on the lower strut l'which engages a corresponding V-groove formed in the upper strut 2, the angleof the V-groove being preferably somewhat greater than the angle .of the V-edge 7, thus providing for perfect freedom. of movement between the articulated ends of said toggle levers.

Said toggle members also comprise toggle arms designated 9 and 10, respectively, which project laterally from the struts 1 and2 and which, in use, are connected by a member or members soldered to one or both thereof and which projects or project beyond the toggle arm. to which they are soldered and interlock with a rigid shoulder formed on the other of said toggle arms or the projecting ends of which interlock with each other.

Referrin now to Figs. 1 to 6 of the. draw-. ings, in w ich I have shown what I now consider to be the preferable form of my invention, the toggle members A, A are so constructed and connected that, when the tension screw 5 is tightened, the compression to which the struts 1 and 2 are subjected, will tend to flex said toggle members in a direction to separate the ends of the toggle arms 9 and 10, and the ends of the toggle arms 9 and 10 are connected by means of a plate 11 soldered to the under side of the toggle arm 9. Theend of said plate projects beyond the end of said toggle arm 9 and interlocks with a shoulder 12 formed:

the extreme end of the toggle arm 9, the

power being applied at the shoulder 12, and the soldered joint representing the load.

In operation, it is obvious that so long as the soldered joint which secures the plate ll-to the toggle arm 9 remains intact, the toggle members will maintain the ca 3 in position to close the hostile of the sprinkler! As soon, however, assaid soldered joint-ruptures under the action of heat, the pressure to which the strut portions 1 and 2 aresubjected will cause the-toggle members A, A to collapse Or fly apart, thus releasing the cap 3 and permitting the water to discharge through the nozzle of the sprinkler, in the manner contemplated.

To prevent bending or springingof the toggle arm 9 by the bending moment produced inlsaid arm by'the tension'of the shoulder 12 actingeon the endof' the-plate'11-, 'I preferably reinforce o'r strengthen said toggle-arm 9Mby Qa rib '13, which extends outwardly: toward the 1 end of f said toggle arm atsuflicient distance beyond 'the'inner' end of the plate11 to impart desired rigidity to said: toggle arm to insure against springing or bending thereof.

,"T-o strengthen-the solder joint which'connectstheyp'late tothe member 9 -andalso to'preven't corros-ion of said joint adjacent to the rib. 13'by the action "of-chlorin, nitric acid and other fumes to which thes-prinklers may be subjected in use, said plate 11 is preferaloly stamped up, as shown at. 14, to form a-groove 15 on its inner side adaptedto reoeive the rib-B; saidgroove being shapedto conform generally to the shape of said' 'rib and'ibeing sufifi'ciently large 1 to receive said rib withu-t binding. *By soldering thesides of said rib 13 andgroove 15' together, the area of *the solder surface connecting said platellto said togglememb'erQ will be very materially increased and strengthened While, at=' the same time,- corrosion of said solder jointzadj acent to said-rib will be effectually prevented, all in the manner described. It is recognized th'at'corrosion of thesolder which connects said pl ate to said toggle arm, will harden said solder, andraiseits fusing point to such-an-extent as to 'prevent'the designed operation "of the sprinkler, thus destroying the practical value of said sprinkler as aprotection a ainsefire;

As a-motli fication of any invention, I COIL- template construction inwliih the. outer ends df the tog le arms are connected by means of plates,- substantially like the plate 11, the ends of which project beyond the ends o'f the togglearmsand are interlocked in any suitableimannerso as to provide a rigid connection between the same.

This construction has anrimportant" advantage in the'res'pect'that the toggle members mayf-be practical duplicates ofeach other excepting as regardsthe "j oint by which the strut portions-of said toggle members are articulated} t This construction is shown in Figs. 7, V 8, andii90ff the drawings, in which A designa'te'sitheloWe'r toggle member, A the upper togglemember-,1 and Ql 'the strut portions and i 9 -1and 1O *the "toggle arms ofsaid mam bers A a nd-=A respectively, 11 the plate parts which will operate to rigidly rconneet tbe'ends of said plates, thus: aifordi11g"tlie*de-' sired" fusible "connectionbetweenthe toggle members A and A p I I 'Asshow-n, the end of the plate 11 engages a hook "'16 formed turning the e:tre1 ne outerend of the platenhackw-ardlyup'on itself, leaving a suflicient space between-the bent sections thereof to receive the end or the plate-11 saidspacebeing sufficiently wide to receive the end of the; plate 11? loosely to permitsaid plates to turn; pivo'tally to release'the toggle members A and Atwlieii the soldered joint connecting either 'or ibotli of-"the plates 11 and 11 to the toggle arms to which they are connected, respectively, fuses.

As still a further modification 'of'my an proved fusible member-, "I .'co1'1ten 1plate con necting the'projecting end ofthe'jplate 11 soldered toithetoggle a'rm"9",' to the enfd 'of the toggle arm lO'means of a shouldered lug formed on the toggle arm lO WlllClf' is provided with a shoulder adapted to engage or interlock with a hole formed in the end of the plate soldered' to the toggle arm '9', the extreme ends of said plateanld of said toggle arm "10 being bent inwardly toward iea'ch other to bring the same'into properlrejl'ati-on' to effect engagement of said'lu'g andlhole.

' This "modification is shown in Figs, 1D, 1 1 and 12 of thedrawings, in whith a e a 10 designate the toggle arms, 11 theplate'sol' dered to thetoggle arm" 9 '17 the 111 "formed on the toggle armlo formed on which isa shoulder 18 which: interlocks "with the'side'of a hole 19fformed through the 'pro ecting an of the plate 11 the ends' I said plate; and of said" toggle arm 10 'bein turned Qinwardly toward eachfother to bt111 u1t;; to-- jection 17 and the h'ole 19 in proper relative position so that said l'iig'andhol'e'willinter lock.

'I' "clai1n 1.1111 a fusible member for 1 'gpurpose" specified, togglememberscomprising articu lated strut portions and" arms thereon, a plate soldered toyone' o f saitl toggle arms, and connection betw'een said plate and the othertoggle arm, the toggle arm to "which said plate'i's soldered h'aving a rib on'theside ifs thereof to -Which i said plate is soldered; and; 13a

said plate being shaped to form a groove to receive the portion of said rib which extends beneath it, substantially as described.

2. In a fusible member for the purpose specified, toggle members comprising articulated strut portions and arms thereon, a plate soldered to one of said toggle arms, and connection between said plate and the other toggle arm, the toggle arm to which said plate is soldered having a rib on the side thereof to which said plate is soldered, and said plate being shaped to form a groove to receive the portion of said rib which extends beneath it and the sides of said rib and groove being soldered together, substantially as described.

3. In a fusible member for the purpose specified, toggle members comprising articulated strut portions and arms thereon, lates soldered to said toggle arms, respect1vely, and connection between said plates, said toggle arms having ribs on the sides thereof to which said plates are soldered, and said plates being shaped to form grooves to receive the portions of said ribs which they overlap, substantially as described.

4. In a fusible member for the purpose specified, toggle members comprising articulated strut portions and arms thereon, plates soldered to said toggle arms, respectively, and connection between said plates, said toggle arms having ribs on the sides thereof to which said plates are soldered, and saidplates being shaped to form grooves to receive the portions of said ribs which they overlap, and the sides of said ribs and grooves being soldered together, substantially as described.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature this 12th day of November, A. D. 1917.

WM. GRIMSHAW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

